Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Measureless ❯ Menace ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: I do not make any profit off of Naruto. If I was then would I be writing fanfics? ;3

 

Chapter 4

 

Menace

 

Sakura awoke with a major headache. She groaned as she sat up I bed, her covers pooling in her lap. She brought her hands up to her head, green chakra glowing at her fingertips. She massaged her temples, as her chakra relieved the pressure surrounding her brain. She sighed as her headache vanished.

 

A deep chuckle startled Sakura. She whipped her head around, her pink hair swirling about her shoulders. Kakashi was sitting in the only chair in their bedroom. He was by the window, legs crossed as he read his orange smut novel.

 

“What?” Sakura asked as she lay on her side, head held up on her palm.

 

“Oh nothing. Nothing at all,” Kakashi mumbles from behind his book, a smile on her face.

 

Sakura remembered what had happened the previous night and turned her head down, her bangs hiding her saddened expression. “I'm sorry about last night.”

 

Kakashi lowered his book, a thin brow arched under his headband. “What ever for?”

 

Sakura sighed. Why did she have to always spell everything out for this man when he probably already knew the answer. “I'm sorry that I heaped my burden's on you. It was selfish and I won't do it again.”

 

Kakashi's eye softened before he rose from his chair. He tucked his book back into his shurikan pouch. He walked towards the bed and lay crouched down until his face was level with Sakura's down-turned one. He brought his hand up, tucking her bangs behind her ears. With is index and thumb he lifted her chin until her large eyes were focused on him. “I'm glad you told me. If you ever need someone to talk to then I will be here for you.”

 

Sakura smiled softly. “Thank you.”

 

Kakashi patted Sakura's knee as he rose. “No problem.”

 

Sakura rose from her bed before she went over to her pack to retrieve some clean clothes. She turned back to face Kakashi. “So. What are we going to do today?”

 

“We're going to be scouting Tsuque's mansion after breakfast.”

Sakura nodded before she entered the bathroom. After a quick shower Sakura met Kakashi in the downstairs lobby. The left the hotel in search of a place to eat. They found one right next door. They entered and choose a table. A waitress sauntered over to their table, her eyes solely on Kakashi. She was a large buxom blond with a curvaceous body and long legs.

 

“Good morning. Can I take your order?” The waitress asked Kakashi, completely disregarding Sakura.

 

Kakashi looked up with indifference, his eye drooping. “Just some coffee, please.”

 

The waitress smiled seductively as she leaned forward to scribble on her pad. Sakura's eyes narrowed when she saw the blond thrust her chest towards Kakashi. She cleared her throat loudly.

 

The blond turned around, a surprised look on her face. “Oh, yes. What does the…child want to order?”

 

Sakura fumed. “The same as my fiancée. I would also like the special for today.”

 

The woman's blue eyes widened at the word fiancée. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at Sakura's hand resting on the table to see her ring. With a scoff and a wink at Kakashi she sauntered off.

 

Sakura growled at the woman's back, sounding almost like Naruto in his Kyuubi form. “Can you believe that tramp? Flirting with my fiancée, disgusting!”

 

Sakura's eyes widened and a full blush surfaced to her cheeks as she looked over at Kakashi. He was laughing, loudly. The few patrons in the restaurant were looking at him like he was a maniac. Sakura crossed her arms under her chest. “What's so funny?”

 

Kakashi quieted down, though a large smile was still on his face. “You are. I didn't think you would take our mission so seriously, Sakura. Or is it that you want to marry me, darling.” Kakashi moved his eyebrow suggestively.

 

Sakura gasped. “K-Kakashi!”

 

“What?”

 

“This is just a mission, you pervert. I think those books have gone to your head. Besides, that woman isn't your type.”

 

Kakashi leaned forward. “Then what is my type? You?” He reached across the table and took Sakura's hand into his own. He raised it to his mask covered lips and kissed the back of her hand, his lips lingering longer than necessary.

 

Sakura froze with eyes widened. She held her breath, not able to believe that Kakashi would do such a thing in public. Kakashi kept her hand in his as the waitress returned. His thumb continuously caressed her skin. Sakura was snapped out of her shock when their order was placed on the table. She noted with satisfaction the waitress look at their entwined hands jealously.

 

Once the waitress had stomped away, Sakura looked up at Kakashi. “You can let go now.”

 

Kakashi's thumb continued to stroke her as his eye glinted. “What if I don't want to?”

 

“Kakashi!” Sakura gasped, the blush staining her cheeks traveling down her neck.

 

Kakashi chuckled and released her hand. “You're so easy to tease, Sakura-chan.”

 

Sakura scoffed before she dug into her breakfast. Thirty minutes later they were racing through the forest. Sakura stayed a little behind Kakashi as they jumped from tree branch to tree branch. Frequently Sakura had to stop herself was ogling Kakashi's backside. It was disturbing to say the least, and it was making her mind stray from their mission. But she had to admit; he had a nice profile.

 

Kakashi looked over his shoulder at Sakura. He could see that her eyes were slightly glazed. Throughout their trip Kakashi had noticed Sakura's eyes on him. It wasn't that he didn't mind, it was just that it was making him wonder what she was thinking. Ever since they had started this mission Kakashi had known that something was going to happen.

 

When they had first left Kakashi couldn't help but notice how much Sakura had changed. She wasn't the same naïve girl she used to be eight years ago. Now he was proud of what she had become. He only wished that he had been a larger part in her development. He admitted, albeit reluctantly that he had avoided Sakura these past few years because he was afraid of what he would feel for her. He had heard rumors throughout Konoha about her beauty and intellect. His man instinct had instantly reacted the first time he had laid eyes on her after her sixteenth birthday.

 

His feelings had scared him at that time. He had taken to going on long missions and avoiding her as much as he could while he was in the village. But the less he saw of her the more he felt for her when he did see her again. Now that they had been paired on his mission, he felt like he was watching from within his body, a person he didn't know.

 

When Sakura had seduced that man for information at the bar the previous night, Kakashi had been infuriated. He had nearly lost his control when the man had laid his hand on Sakura's thigh. If it hadn't been for his ingrained sense of being a shinobi then he would have killed that man. As it were he was now somewhat glad of what had happened. Ever since then, no matter how short a time it was, him and Sakura had grown closer.

 

Now as he thought of the woman and of what she had become his gut twisted. He was grown man and he had his needs, but he knew that Sakura was off limits. His thoughts were forgotten for the moment as the trees began to thin. He signaled to Sakura behind him that they were nearing the mansion.

 

A few minutes after he signaled the last tree came into view. Kakashi landed on the sturdy branch. He felt the branch vibrate slightly as Sakura landed beside him in a crouch. After looking quickly at Sakura he looked ahead towards their target's abode.

 

The mansion was fashioned in the traditional Japanese style with a few modernized aspects. Around the perimeter was a large fence, thirty feet high. Atop the fence was barbed wire. Inside the fence was renegade shinobi, most Genin level patrolling the territory. There was eight total. As Kakashi and Sakura observed and waited they noticed the guards come to a certain point every ten minutes. After they had learned all there was to learn from the main entrance they circled to the rear and sides.

 

It was almost the same all around, though at the back the mansion guards had almost doubled. Apparently this Tsuque was no fool. The rear was the most likely place to stage an ambush. Kakashi had to admit to himself that here indeed was a man who knew defense tactics. When they knew they would no longer gain any more information Kakashi and Sakura left the compound.

 

They were silent as they returned to the village. They didn't bother getting anything to eat, even though it was now midday. They headed to their apartment without hesitation. After Sakura had entered their room Kakashi turned and locked their door, putting a protection jutsu on it just in case.

 

They didn't speak a word until they had safeguarded the rooms. When they were finished that sat at the kitchen table, across from each other.

 

Sakura sighed. “I didn't think he would have that many guards.”

 

Kakashi nodded. “I agree. It makes our mission more difficult.”

 

Sakura agreed. “So what do we do? We can't do a frontal assault; there are too many people. A surprise attack would be senseless since the guards are probably doubled during the night. By our mission details one of us will have to find any information we can about Tsuque and his contacts while the other will have to free any prisoners we have. It seems almost impossible.”

 

Kakashi nodded, once again surprised at how much Sakura had grown. “We don't know anything about Tsuque as of now except that he had taken Mrs. Shina's daughter. And we're not positive of those accounts ourselves. Later we'll go around the village asking questions. Perhaps there were more witnesses to the girls' disappearance.”

 

Sakura nodded. “You're right. I'm going to talk with Mrs. Shina also. I have a feeling that she's not telling us everything.”

 

Kakashi smiled. “You saw that? I was thinking the same thing. Mrs. Shina seemed almost hesitant telling us about her daughter. If she really cared for her then she would be more fretful.”

 

Sakura's stomach suddenly growled, interrupting their planning. Sakura blushed as Kakashi chuckled. He stood up from his chair. “You get some rest. I'll bring us some food up here.”

 

Sakura agreed as she settled back in her chair, her eyes closed. Kakashi opened the door but hesitated and looked back at Sakura's peaceful countenance before he left through the door. His feet suddenly lighter.

 

 

Sakura walked down the street with heavy feet. She had been walking throughout out Suya and asking information going on six hours now. When she had believed she had a lead she actually ended up at a dead end. All she had learned was that Tsuque loved festivals and village activities. He would come to things such as this with an armed escort even though he was the most powerful of the lot.

 

She had also learned that three other girls from the village had been taken, possibly by Tsuque. Their families had almost given up home, thinking that thugs or something of the like had killed their daughters.

 

Sakura had visited Mrs. Shina first where she had gotten her best lead. She had been hiding something as Kakashi and Sakura had suspected. Misaki had thought herself in love with one of Tsuque's men, a young man of twenty. When Mrs. Shina had forbid her daughter from seeing the man Misaki had left in anger instead of, as Mrs. Shina had said, going to get supplies. When Mrs. Shina had gotten worried she had went out after her daughter and seen her with her lover, Hidari. Mrs. Shina had said over and over that Misaki hadn't wanted to go but Hidari had forced her to.

 

Sakura was suddenly jerked into a dark alleyway between two apartment complexes. A large, foul-smelling hand covered her mouth as she was dragged deeper into the dark. Sakura could have easily broken from the man's grasp, but she wanted to see what he wanted with her.

 

As she was whirled around to face her attacker she was surprised and a little frightened to see that it was the man from the bar, Yasayo. “Well, well. Look what I caught wondering the streets at night. Where's your boyfriend?” Yasayo pushed Sakura against one of the buildings, his hand on her throat.

 

Sakura smiled. “Oh he'll be here in a minute. But I don't need him to protect me.”

 

Yasayo stuck his face closer to Sakura's, as he pulled out a wicked looking knife. “Is that so? Then why don't you try little whore.”

 

Sakura knew that she should have kept her big mouth shut when Yasayo pushed the knife against her neck, stopping her from escaping. The blade was pushed further against her neck, blood beginning to flow from the shallow cut. “Not so high and mighty now are you princess? I should just have my way with you right here. But my boss wouldn't take it kindly. After he's done with you I'll buy you. Then you can spend the rest of your miserable life being my personal slave.”

 

Sakura spat in Yasayo's face. “Bastard!”

 

Yasayo yelled in rage as he pressed his blade deeper into Sakura's neck. Now her neck was covered in blood, and she was loosing it fast. Sakura knew from her studies that if he cut her any deeper then he would nick her jugular. As Sakura began to believe she wouldn't make it out of this alive Yasayo suddenly dropped to the ground, a kunai buried in his neck.

 

Sakura looked up to find Kakashi standing over the dead man. With a cry she launched herself into his arms. Kakashi caught her, cradling her head as she told him what had happened. Surprisingly she didn't shed any tears. Once she had clamed down Kakashi moved her away and looked at her neck. Even he could tell it was a serious cut.

 

“Can you heal this yourself?” Kakashi asked.

 

Sakura nodded as she began gathering chakra to her hands. She pressed her hand against her neck. She quickly mended the tissue and with a handy jutsu, cleaned up the blood on her neck and shirt. She looked back up at Kakashi when she was finished. “Thanks. I would have been a goner if you hadn't of shown up when you did.”

 

Sakura suddenly found herself crushed against Kakashi's vest. He buried his head in her hair, smelling it's sweet fragrance. “When he cut you the second time I thought I was going to lose you,” Kakashi whispered softly.

 

Sakura brought her arms up around Kakashi's back, hugging him to her. “I'm not going anywhere.”

 

Kakashi sighed, instinctively hugging her tighter to himself. “Good. I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you.” He pulled back, a sheepish smile on his face.

Sakura returned the smile. She reached forward and took Kakashi's hand into her own. “Let's go.”

 

Kakashi let Sakura pull him back to their apartment, his hand still clasped tightly into her own. When Kakashi had first seen Yasayo cut Sakura, Kakashi's heart had plummeted. In those few moments Kakashi had come to realize that Sakura was precious to him. If anything ever happened to her then he would feel empty and lifeless. If he had to stay by her side at all times then he would make sure that she never died, even if it cost him his own life.

 

Next Time: The Festival of Tanabata! One of the most romantic festivals in Japan! Things for Kakashi and Sakura heat up as danger approaches.

 

Chapter 4 complete! Yosh! I think this is my longest chapter yet. This was originally going to be into two parts.

 

This time I focused more on Kakashi, trying to get his prespective on things. I believe I did a pretty good job.